The Orchid was the name given to a DHARMA Initiativestation dedicated to exotic matter research, namely time travel, under the guise of being a botanical research station. The true station was located in an underground chamber beneath a greenhouse, and drew energy for its experiments from the same anomalous energy source as the frozen wheel. The Orchid was located several hours north or northwest of the survivors' camp, and was found fairly close to the remnants of the statue of Taweret.

Contents

History

Early civilization

The site the Orchid was built upon appeared to have had special significance throughout the early history of the Island. The existence of the wheel chamber and the later addition of the well suggest that early inhabitants of the Island were aware of the energy pocket's existence and had figured out a way to tap into it. The Orchid was later built over this location, although it is unclear what, if anything, DHARMA knew of these older structures. ("There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3") ("This Place Is Death")

DHARMA Initiative

The DHARMA Initiative detected the pocket of anomalous energy beneath this sector of the Island and began construction of the station sometime before 1977. From the outset, the Orchid's purpose was to find a way to tap into the energy pocket as a means of allowing the Initiative to manipulate time. By 1977, the Orchid was largely taking shape: the general framework for the greenhouse, the elevator, and the initial part of the tunnel system had all been developed.

Dr. Chang was in charge of overseeing construction at the Orchid. He immediately dropped everything he was doing to visit the station after a drilling accident was reported. Upon arriving at the station, Dr. Chang found that one of the workers had collapsed while drilling into the rock according to his specs. The drill itself had melted. Chang ordered the workers to cease drilling immediately -- as drilling any further into the chamber inside could release the "limitless" energy beyond. He appeared highly concerned that the release of this energy would have serious consequences. ("Because You Left") ("The Variable")

Previous to the drilling accident, Miles and Hurley visited the station, bringing the corpse of a dead DHARMA worker to Dr. Chang at Horace's request from the Swan site. The body was unloaded upon arrival and taken inside the station. Exactly why the workman's body was brought here under such secrecy or what was done with it afterwards are unclear. ("Some Like It Hoth")

The Others

The Others probably gained control of the Orchid after the Purge although likely left it in an abandoned state. Ben clearly was familiar with the operation of the station, although he viewed the experiments being carried on here by DHARMA as "silly". Per Ben's actions, it appeared the Others likely knew of the existence and function of the wheel chamber. Charles Widmore obviously was aware of the station as well given he sent his mercenaries there to intercept Ben. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 1") ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 2")

Before the video played, Lindelof and Cuse recounted a story in which the film was sent to them after being found in a building in Narvik, Norway, that was set to be demolished (possibly the Hanso Foundation headquarters). The film was then purportedly spliced together and restored by the writers.

Implications of the film

In the film, Edgar Halliwax specifically mentioned the Island's creation of a "Casimir effect". The appearance of such a pointed reference implied that the Orchid played a specific role in the unique space/time properties of the Island (see wormholes).

The mention of 'negatively charged exotic matter' was something of a misnomer, more likely referring to 'negative density' exotic matter, like the oft-referenced theoretical particle known as the tachyon. These theoretical particles possess a 'negative energy density' or more appropriately, a negative mass, and are necessary to stabilize the event horizon of a wormhole enough for an object to pass through it. That the Casimir effect is also mentioned is significant insofar as the Casimir effect can lead to areas of space possessing negative mass density, and thus areas of space-time that could support the event horizon of a wormhole.

The well, albeit in a collapsed state and no longer providing access to the wheel chamber, continued to exist into the 1970s. ("LaFleur") Charlotte was also familiar with it from her childhood. ("This Place Is Death") The collapsed well likely still existed close to the Orchid in 2007. There were apparently other similar wells elsewhere on the Island. ("Everybody Loves Hugo")

It was revealed in Across the Sea that wells were dug in classical Roman times by the Man in Black and a group of Islanders as a way to access the Source under the Island, since he could not find the cave that Mother showed him when he was 13.

Greenhouse

From the outside, the Orchid appeared to be a large greenhouse containing a wide variety of plants growing on various trellises. About twenty-seven years after its construction, the station appeared to be completely abandoned, having sustained substantial damage and been overgrown by the jungle. Vines climbed up the exterior frame, stairs, and support beams. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 2")

Inside an alcove near the north wall of the station was a hidden switch that activated an elevator providing access to the true station deep underground. Ben told Locke:

“

You're going to go into that greenhouse through that hole there. Once inside, you're going to turn left. Go about 20 paces until you see a patch of anthuriums on your left. They're in an alcove against the north wall. Face that wall, reach down with your left hand, you'll find a switch that activates the elevator. The elevator takes you down to the actual Orchid station.

Hidden laboratory

At the bottom of the elevator shaft was a short corridor with several adjacent rooms, and a large area containing electronic equipment, a number of desks, and rabbit cages. Among the electronic equipment were a television and VCR which Locke used to watch the station's orientation video. A heavy parka belonging to "Dr. Halliwax" was found nearby in a locker. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 2")

Vault

Adjacent to the main room was an oval-shaped chamber with an unusual shielded door known as "the vault", where the Initiative conducted space-time experiments. In the orientation video, Dr. Edgar Halliwax stated that the experiment would displace a rabbit in time by 100 milliseconds, and that no metallic objects were to be placed within the vault. A set of controls in the main room appeared to tap somehow into the energy pocket.

Judging by the original video, which was said by the writers to be "out-takes" of the real video, the equipment did indeed function, but often had unpredictable results.

Wheel chamber

To gain access to the wheel chamber, Ben piled everything metallic he could find into the vault and activated the controls. The resulting explosion blew a hole through the back wall of the vault into a previously hidden tunnel. It is unclear where the tunnel originated, but the architecture suggested it may have been built about the same time as the Temple and tunnels beneath the Barracks. At the end of the tunnel, an old ladder led down to the entrance of the wheel chamber, sealed by ice.

Breaking through, Ben emerged into the wheel chamber: a small icy cavern with hieroglyphs carved into several surfaces. A small lantern hung on one wall. One entire wall was taken up by a large stone wheel set into a rock wall and encased in ice. Turning the wheel appeared to somehow activate the energy pocket resulting in a movement of the entire Island in space and time. Movement also set off a reaction similar to the discharge.

Trivia

The Orchid was hinted at on the blast door map. At the 7:00 position, there was a notation: "Low Priority Zone for Exploration - Possible site for Above Ground Study of ?Flora?. Low Relevance to Valenzetti related Research Activity".